Portable bridge for tanks



Feb. 18, 1941.

J. CODER 2,232,095

PORTABLE BRIDGE FOR TANKS Filed March 9, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 \HVEHT R JOSEPH CODER sw fwm lihg Cr RTTORIIEYS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 uwemow- JOSEPH CODER ev .5114 G" HTTORHYS Feb. 18, 1941. J. CODER PO RTABLE BRIDGE FOR TANKS Filed March 9, 1938.

Feb. 18, J, CQDER PORTABLE BRIDGE FOR TANKS Filed March 9, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 venom- :F1@ .7. IOSEPHNCODER Feb 18, 1941. J c D PORTABLE BRIDGE FOR TANKS Filed March 9, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR- JOSEPH CODER swfifaumz, 061K116.

nTroRne/S Feb. 18, 1941. J. CQ DER PORTABLE BRIDGE FOR TANKS s Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 9, 1938 INVENTOR- JOSEPH CODER 5r- Mi 8 HTTORHGYS Feb. 18, 1941. J, CQDER' PORTABLE BRIDGE FOR TANKS Filed'March 9, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 mvsmow JOSEPH CODER BY M Y nrrvrznsys Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 9, 1938, Serial No. 194,853

' In France March 10,1937

Claims.

The present means of defense and of attack of a territory frequently compel modern armies to use tanks.

Such tanks have to be capable, by their own 5 means, of passing over relatively large obstacles.

However, there are cases, and they may be frequent, wherein in spite of all their qualities of movement and the skill of their driver, said tanks may be stopped by these very obstacles, for' example, if the latter are formed by trenches which are wider than the length of the tanks and the walls of which are substantially vertical or by wide ditches'filled with water, or again by small rivers. The tanks are in that case stopped to the very great disadvantage of their occupants and of the corps they have to precede and protect, and this is one of the most serious drawbacks for which these valuable machines can be blamed.

In such a case of stoppage, it is indispensable to throw a bridge across said obstancles to enable the tanks to pass. But although this operation is relatively simple and easy to: carry out in peace time, it is practically impossible to carry out in war time owing to the losses which would be incurred thereby, and it is however indispensable for obtaining the desired result.

The latter is obtained by means of the object of the present invention which consists in a light bridge to enable the tanks to pass above the obstacles they have to cross.

The purpose of said bridge is that it can be thrown and then raised without its being necessary for the operators to come out of the vehicle which protects them, said vehicle being more advantageously armoured.

The invention is essentially characterized by a devicefor gripping and for supporting the bridge comprising a punch-shaped metal part secured to a toothed ring or any other appropriate device rotating on a shaft carried by the vehicle which conveys the bridge.

The whole of this arrangement is shown in the accompanying drawings which are given by way of explanation and also as a practical example of one of the embodiments of the object of the invention.

In said drawings:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 which are diagrammatical show the principal phases of placing in position, utilization and removal'of the bridge;

Fig. 4 shows, on a larger scale and seen from the side, an automobile vehicle equipped for a: e e t on o lec na i, si ion and removal of a bridge according to the invention;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the bridge;

Fig. 6 isthe plan viewof same;

Fig. '7 shows this same bridge seen in transverse section along the line VII-VII of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 shows on a larger scale and seen in elevation, a modified emlbodiment of the invention using hydraulic means for placing in position and removing bridges of heavier weight;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 on a smaller scale, shows a side view of the tractor, according to the modified construction shown in Figs; 8 and 9, drawing up a broken-down tank on a tow truck preparatory to towing said tank on the truck by said tractor.

Fig. 11 shows the same bridge-carrier tractor when the tank has .beendrawn up into position on the truck for towing the same.

The bridge I (Fig. 6) comprises two runways 2 and 2 the framework of which is supported -in the same plane by crosspieces 3, 4, 5, 6, I and 8 in which are embedded and firmly fixed two slide-ways 9 and I0. Said slide-ways are of conical shape, they are placed in the longitudinal axis of the bridge I which is formed by plates II (Fig. 7) made of special very high-tensile strength steel. Said plates, which are fixed back to back, are suitably folded to form horizontal wings I2 and I2 On the wings I2 are fixed the runways 2, 2 formed by wooden crosspieces I3 which are provided to prevent the slipping of the endless tracks, the wings I2 forming stringers. Sills III and I5 reinforce the horizontal wings I2 and I2**. are connected to each other by cross-pieces 3,

4, 5, 6, I and 8 thus forming an essentially homogeneous and light assembly.

The gripping device of said bridge comprises (Fig. 4) a punch-shaped part I6; said part It, 40 which forms one of the principal features. of the invention, is secured to a toothed ring I! which is supported by and rotates about a shaft I8 placed at the end of the chassis IQ of the conveying vehicle.

The drive of the toothed ring II can be obtained by any known means, Worm, pinion, chains, etc., which receive their movement from the engine of the vehicle itself by means .of appropriate controls operated from inside the cab.

Rests are optionally formed by hydraulic jacks 20 with known retracting devices. Said jacks are actuated by apumpwhich is likewisecontrolled frominsidethe cab.

All these parts 35 Thus formed, the placing in position of the bridge and the removal of same are effected in the following manner:

The bridge I (Figs. 1 and 4) supported by the penetration of the punch I6 into one of the correspondingly shaped slide-ways 9 or II] is in travelling order; as soon as the vehicle which is carrying it, which is itself provided with endless tracks, arrives before an obstacle 2I (Fig. 1), the width or other conditions of which do not allow the tank to pass, the conveying vehicle turns, reverses and stops beside the obstacle 2| by operating the hydraulic jacks 20, this first operation being completed, the ring I! is then actuated, still from inside the cab, which has the effect of causing the punch I6 to swing about the shaft I8 and describe an arc of a circle in the direction of the arrow 22 thereby bringing it above the obstacle, this second operation having been completed, the jacks 20 are then withdrawn and the vehicle starts moving forwards, position shown in Fig. 2. At this instant, the bridge I rests on thetwo edges of the obstacle 2I and the tanks can then cross it; one of said tanks is shown in dotted lines and by the reference numeral 23.

The conveying vehicle in its turn passes over the bridge I and arrives on the other side (Fig. 3), it then again reverses in such a manner as to engage the punch I6 in ,9, I0, this penetration is facilitated by the conical shape given the punch I6, when the latter is completely engaged in the slide-way, the toothed ring I! is again actuated, but in the opposite direction of rotation to the first operation and the bridge is raised in the direction of the arrow 24 until it reaches its initial position. The vehicle starts its forward travel again ready to start these same operations over again which are all effected without necessitating the operators coming out.

The worm actuating device which has just been described may, in certain cases (for example for bridges of greater weight), be replaced by a hydraulic actuating device, forming a modification of construction, still based on the same principle. In this modification of construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the hooking punch I6 is more advantageously formed by shells made of steel plates of very high-tensile strength which are welded by known means .to again form a very rugged conical part which terminates in the form of a fork. Two shafts 25 and 26 enable the punch I6 to be actuated by the swinging jack 2'! which moves the punch I6 about the shaft 25.

A sustaining triangle 28 is formed by cheeks made of stamped high-tensile strength steel plate which receive lateral partitions 29, 30, 3I likewise made of stamped steel plate. Bearings 32, 33, 34, which are coupled together by .the shafts 25, 35 and 36, enable the triangle 28 to be connected to the punch IE, to the chest 31, and to the swinging jack 38.

The chest 31 is likewise made of high-tensile strength steel plate and is pressed to form ventical sides which are connected by riveting to soles 39 and 40 thereby forming a very rigid assembly. Said chest is connected to the chassis of the tractor by appropriate known means.

Two bearings 4I supporting the shaft 42 which is shown in dotted lines serve as a bearing point for the tilting jack 38, whereas the bearings 33 support the shaft 35.

,In this modification of construction, it must always be considered that during the operation of one of the slide-ways the bridge I, the centre of gravity of the whole arrangement is displaced rearwards and may cause the tractor to overturn; in order to avoid this very serious accident, seating cams 44 are provided. These latter come into contact with the ground and increase the bearing base of the Whole arrangement, thereby preventing overturning.

Said cams, which are two in number, Fig. 9, are located on either side of the chest 37 and bear on the shaft 35 which is extended for this purpose.

The seating cams 44 are formed by high-tensile strength steel plates, they are stamped and have .two cheeks 45 which are connected together by soles 46 and 41. Ribs 48 prevent slipping on the ground during the operations.

Said cams are actuated by the seating jacks 49 and 50 which bear on a shaft 5| secured to the chest 31 by means of bearings 52, and actuate the cams 44 through the intermediary of a shaft 53 carried by the bearings 54 secured to said cams.

All of said jacks are double-acting and can be contracted or expanded by means of slide valves which enable oil under pressure to be sent by means of a pump actuated by the engine on to one or the other face of the corresponding jack, and said face to be locked at the will of the operator in the selected position or left free to move in the cylinder of the jack.

A safety valve which is adjustable at will is provided on the oil delivery pipe; its purpose is to remedy any accidental mistake in operation which may impair the operation as a whole.

The sliding parts of the jacks are protected by very high-tensile strength steel sheaths of a thickness which ensures such protection.

The stroke of the jacks is provided with a suificient margin to enable the bridge I to be laid and removed on a diiferent level from that on which the tractor is located, positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8. Furthermore, in these extreme positions, the bridge may also form an angle varying from 20 to +30 with the hori zontal line.

The placing in position or the removal of the bridge is effected by means of identical operations with those described above.

Thus constructed, the tractor can also serve for assisting a broken-down tank 23, Fig. 10 and conveying same, Fig. 11.

A very great progress is thus obtained in the means for ensuring the passing of tanks by means of light or heavy bridges which can be placed in position and removed by operators who do not leave the armored cab which protects them.

However the shapes, the dimensions, the arrangements and also the materials used for this construction may vary without for that reason changing the general arrangement of the invention which has just been described.

I claim:

1. In a military tank consisting .of a self-propelled tractor or vehicle carrying an armored cab and a portable bridge, the combination of a rotatable shaft on said tractor, means carried by said tractor to rotate said shaft, a longitudinal member connected to said shaft so as to be swung in an arcuate path when said shaft is rotated, said member removably fitting within a complementarily shaped slideway in said portable bridge so as to swing said bridge when the member is moved in an arcuate path to place the bridge in isolated position to bridge a gap in the ground, and being removable from said slideway when the bridge is so laid in position, a second slide- 7 way in said bridge within which said member is engageable after the tractor has passed over said bridge and means on the tractor to rotate the shaft in the opposite direction to cause the return of the bridge to its initial position on the tractor.

2. A tank according to claim 1, wherein the bridge comprises a' framework made of very hightensile strength steel plates which are folded to form upper and lower wings, raceways on each of the longitudinal sides of said bridge and carried by said upper wings, said lower wings forming stringers, slide-ways secured to each of the ends of the bridge, and wherein a tilting and sustaining member secured to the rear of the'tractor, a gripping member mounted for vertical rotation on said tilting and sustaining member and adapt ed to engage in said slide-ways, and double-acting hydraulic jacks controlled from within the armoured cab and acting directing on said gripping member for raising the same on itself and on said tilting and sustaining member.

3. A tank according to claim 1, wherein the bridge comprises a framework made of very hightenslle strength steel plates which are folded to form upper and lower wings, raceways on each of the longitudinal sides of said bridge and carried by said upper wings, said lower wings forming stringers, and wherein means are included on the tank for preventing the overturning of the tractor during the manipulation of the bridge.

4. A tank according to claim 1, wherein the bridge comprises a framework made of very high- .tensile strength steel plates which are folded to form upper and lower wings, raceways on each of the longitudinal sides of said bridge and carried by said upper wings, said lower wings forming stringers, and wherein hydraulic jacks are mounted at-the rear of said tractor and adapted to bear on the ground during the manipulation of the bridge so as to prevent the tractor from overturning.

5. A tank according to claim 1, wherein seating cams are mounted at the rear of the tractor and adapted to come into contact with the ground during the manipulation of the bridge so as to prevent the tractor from overturning.

JOSEPH CODER. 

